


Dancing Through Life

by grlnxtdr29



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-26 02:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18274352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grlnxtdr29/pseuds/grlnxtdr29
Summary: While traveling with the touring company of Wicked, Kurt spends a day in San Francisco, where he meets a street musician with curly hair and hazel eyes. Will an Earthquake shake them apart, or can it bring them together?





	1. Dancing Through Life

**Author's Note:**

> This is an A/U story, takes place after Kurt has graduated from NYADA.
> 
> Reviews always welcome!

He was humming happily as he got dressed that morning. Life was going great! He had graduated from NYADA six months ago, and almost immediately got cast as Boq in the traveling production of Wicked, and he was also Fiyero's understudy, though he had yet to step into those boots.

It had been a lot of work, performing nightly for the last several months, and though he loved it, he was glad today was a down day. They were in Oakland, California, for the next week, but tonight the theater was dark, and he and a few of the other cast members were heading into San Francisco to do the tourist thing.

He met up in the hotel restaurant with Jeff, who played Chistery, and was his understudy, and the rest of the flying Monkeys, along with Katie, who was Elphaba's understudy. They were laughing as they ate breakfast, talking about all the places they wanted to visit. Kurt got along well with most of the cast members, they had become like another family to him the way New Directions had.

But like every family, there was always that one cousin you tried to avoid like the plague. In this case it was Sebastian, their Fiyero, who was an arrogant, self absorbed prick who thought he was god's gift to the gay population. On more than one occasion the tall brunette had insulted Kurt and tried to get into his pants in the same breath.

They were just getting ready to leave when the prick in question appeared as if out of thin air. "Where are you all going?"

Kurt sent a text to his dad and ignored him, but Kyle, one of the Monkeys, had a crush on the green eyed ass, and enthusiastically detailed their plans for the day, inviting the other man to join them. Kurt could feel Sebastian's eyes on him, and hoped the man would decline, but wasn't surprised when he accepted. Rolling his eyes, Kurt resigned himself to a day of barely veiled innuendos and blatant come ons.

Forty minutes later they were on a trolley heading to Chinatown to do some shopping. Jeff stayed by Kurt's side as a buffer between him and Sebastian, who had been trying to separate Kurt from the others like a wolf culling a lamb from the herd.

The blonde man had been a godsend in more ways than one. The young man spoke nearly fluent Mandarin, and helped Kurt negotiate a cheaper price on a tiger shaped jade pendant that had caught his glasz eyes. It would be the perfect birthday gift for Carole.

"Where did you learn to speak Chinese?" He'd asked the other man.

"My roommate in boarding school, Wes, was of Chinese descent, and he often spoke it when he talked to his grandparents on the phone, or when he'd get frustrated. I told him that if he was going to be swearing in another language around me, it was only right that he teach me." Kurt laughed.

As lunch time approached, they took another trolley to Fisherman's Wharf. They ate at the Boudin Bakery on Pier 39, where Kurt decided to blow off his diet for the day and ordered the clam chowder in a bread bowl. He figured that since they were planning on spending the rest of the day walking along the famous stretch of shops and museums, he would need the extra calories.

After they finished eating, they wandered around the pier. A few of them decided to take the ferry out to Alcatraz, but Kurt, Jeff, Katie, Sebastian, and a couple others decided to skip the boat trip. There were always interesting things going on in the area, and Kurt was smiling, enjoying listening to the music and the blend of foreign accents. He laughed when the Wharf's nefarious Bushman scared the living daylights out of Sebastian.

They made their way to the end of the pier, and were heading back towards the aquarium, when Kurt heard someone singing. The voice was amazing, accompanied by an acoustic guitar. He laughed when he recognized the tune.

The trouble with school is  
They always try to teach the wrong lesson  
Believe me, I've been kicked out  
Of enough of them to know  
They want you to become less callow  
Less shallow  
But I say: why invite stress in?  
Stop studying strife  
And learn to live the unexamined life

"Oooh, he's dreamy," Katie purred beside Kurt, and he had to agree. The man was about his age, though shorter. His dark curls were windblown, his hazel eyes seeming to laugh as he spotted Kurt, and smiled.

Dancing through life  
Skimming the surface  
Gliding where turf is smooth  
Life's more painless  
For the brainless  
Why think too hard?  
When it's so soothing  
Dancing through life  
No need to tough it  
When you can sluff it off as I do  
Nothing matters  
But knowing nothing matters  
It's just life  
So keep dancing through

Sebastian didn't seem to be amused by this street performer singing his song. "He's not that great. Though with that body I wouldn't mind doing some dirty dancing with him."

Kurt rolled his eyes, and glanced at Jeff, who had a mischievous grin on his face. As the singer began the next verse, the blonde man grabbed Kurt's hand and pulled him forward to dance, and began singing along.

Dancing through life  
Swaying and sweeping  
And always keeping cool  
Life is fraught-less  
When you're thoughtless  
Those who don't try  
Never look foolish  
Dancing through life  
Mindless and careless  
Make sure you're where less  
Trouble is rife  
Woes are fleeting  
Blows are glancing  
When you're dancing  
Through life

Kurt couldn't help laughing, especially when Katie and the other Monkeys joined them.

Let's go down to the Ozdust Ballroom  
We'll meet there later tonight  
We can dance till it's light  
Find the prettiest girl:  
Give 'er a whirl:  
Right on down to the Ozdust Ballroom  
Come on - follow me  
You'll be happy to be there

Dancing through life  
Down at the Ozdust

If only because dust  
Is what we come to

Nothing matters  
But knowing nothing matters  
It's just life

Sebastian's ego couldn't stand it anymore, and he pushed his way forward, singing louder than anyone else, and going into full performance mode.

So keep dancing through

Katie stepped into the role of Galinda, smiling at the crowd that had gathered.

Now that we've met one another

It's clear - we deserve each other

You're perfect

You're perfect

So we're perfect together  
Born to be forever  
Dancing through life

Dancing through life  
Down at the Ozdust  
If only because dust  
Is what we come to!  
And the strange thing:  
Your life could end up changing  
While you're dancing  
Through!

As the song came to an end, the crowd cheered and clapped, and several people dropped money into the street performer's guitar case. While Sebastian was distracted schmoozing the crowd and encouraging them all to attend the shows in Oakland later that week, Kurt smiled at the young artist.

"Sorry to crash your set. You're very good, by the way."

The man returned the smile. "Thanks. I'm Blaine, by the way. So, are you in the show?"

"Yeah, I play Boq. I'm Kurt. It's nice to meet you. These are my friends, Jeff and Katie. They're in the show too. Jeff is Chistery, and he's also my understudy, and Katie is Elphaba's understudy." He introduced the others, as well. They talked for a few minutes, until Sebastian finished sucking up to the tourists and rejoined them. Kurt saw the predatory gleam in the taller man's eyes as he sized up Blaine. Jeff managed to cut off any chance for Sebastian to make any crude comments, by saying they needed to get going, and tugging on the brunette's arm to steer him away.

Kurt smiled at the dark haired singer again. "It was a pleasure meeting you. You really have an amazing voice." He dropped a twenty into the guitar case before following his friends. They decided to treat themselves to ice cream, but Kurt kept thinking of the honey eyed man.

…

Blaine watched them go, still smiling to himself. Kurt had seemed like a really nice guy, and he had been really cute, too. It had been almost a year since Blaine had broken up with his last boyfriend. He'd thought Chad had been perfect, and that they were bound to spend the rest of their lives together, until he'd caught Chad in bed with their neighbor's brother.

The fight that had followed had been a real eye opener for Blaine. He'd always viewed the world through rose colored glasses, always finding things to laugh and smile about. He loved performing on the streets here in San Francisco. To him, his life was a Disney fairy tale. He'd thought Chad had loved him. Turned out the bastard had just been using Blaine's popularity with the tourists to find his next screw. He'd called Blaine naive, said he was pathetic in bed, and all he was good for was paying the bills.

Sighing, he released the guitar's strap from around his neck, leaning it carefully against the wall as he collected the money from the case. He'd done really good today, pulling in almost $1000, and it was only mid afternoon.

Pocketing the cash, he packed his guitar up, and headed out to meet his friend, Nick, who worked at the ice cream shop on the pier. He'd known Nick nearly his entire life. They'd met in second grade, when some bullies had been making fun of the other boy, who wore braces to correct a serious overbite. Blaine had stood up to them, and had knocked the largest one on his butt when he'd tried to shove Blaine down.

After Blaine's parents had kicked him out when they found out he was gay, Nick's family had taken him in. Nick had come out not long before, and his family had been very supportive of the two of them, although they had to keep telling Nick's mom that they were just friends, that they weren't dating, and never would. They loved each other like brothers, and the thought of being intimate weirded them out.

Nick had been seeing an older man lately, but they weren't exclusive, and Nick wasn't really ready for a serious relationship, or so he proclaimed. He was in his last year at Berkeley, where he was studying writing and theater arts.

Blaine headed around the back of the ice cream shop. Nick was due for his break any minute now, and they were going to get coffee and go to the magic store before he had to get back to work.

Blaine was leaning against the building, scrolling through his phone, when the ground began to shake. At first, it was just a light tremor, but it quickly grew in strength. Car alarms began going off everywhere, and he could hear people screaming. He slipped sideways into the door frame. He could hear things falling inside the building, heard someone scream in pain. The sounds of multiple car crashes added to the chaos.

The earthquake seemed to go on for hours, but he knew it wasn't more than a few minutes. Even when the shaking stopped, he still felt wobbly. He turned to the door behind him, knowing it would be unlocked, and slipped inside, his first thought to find his friend and make sure he was okay.

The electricity was out, so he propped the door open for light to see by. Two employees, a man and woman, were huddled in the back storeroom. He asked if they were okay, and they assured him they were fine. He helped them stand up, and then went into the front counter area.

There was just enough light coming in through the windows to make out several shapes, but no details. He could hear someone, it sounded like a man, cursing in pain, and several other people sobbing in fear.

"Nick?" He called out. He found his friend helping two other people lifting a table off the man who had been cussing loudly, and who now screamed. Blaine rushed over to help out. The man's leg was obviously broken. He recognized him as the tall fellow who had been with Kurt and his friends. "Are you hurt anywhere else? Is anyone else hurt?"

There were a few others injured, though none of them as bad as the one called Sebastian. Kurt had a minor cut on his left temple, while others had scratches and bruising.

"It will be a while before EMS can get here," Nick said, having stepped outside to assess the carnage. "There are at least a dozen car accidents blocking the road on this street alone. Who knows how bad the rest of the area is. The best we can do is splint the leg and patch up the others with band-aids."

Jeff helped Nick gather up their meager medical supplies. The blonde man smiled at the handsome college student. Nick smiled shyly back. They didn't have anything to use as a splint, so Blaine offered to go and see if he could find anything they could use. Kurt went with him. They could hear people screaming, and all kinds of sirens in the distance. Car horns and alarms were still going off in the parking garage across the street. They stopped at the fruit market, thinking some slats from the fruit crates might work for a splint.

They found the owner helping a customer off the ground, and asked him if they could take one of the broken crates, explaining what they needed it for. The owner recognized Blaine, and gave them the crate. "You might want to get them out of the buildings and over to the park. The electricity is out everywhere, but with all the car crashes, there is bound to be gas spilling out on the roads, and who knows if any pipes have been ruptured."

"I hadn't thought of that," Blaine said. "We'll drop these off back at the Ice cream place, and tell everyone else to get out, and then we'll check the other shops to see if anyone else needs help and let them know to evacuate."

When they returned to the creamery, they found Jeff holding a flashlight while Nick bandaged up Sebastian's other injuries. Someone had found the battery operated radio and they had the news station on. Both the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate were shut down due to multiple accidents. At least six fires were burning around town, and thousands of injuries were already being reported.

"911 is swamped," Nick said, taking the slats from Blaine. The two of them worked to splint Sebastian's leg while the man cursed and shouted at them to stop manhandling him. "It will be hours before an ambulance can get here. Someone could try driving him to the ER, but with the streets jacked up, and aftershocks a distinct possibility, it might just be best to wait."

"Well," Kurt said, "we should get everyone out of the building and over to the park, or into an open area away from the possibility of a spark igniting any gas leaks in the area."

Nick nodded and stood. Kyle and one of the other Monkey's helped carry Sebastian out. Nick lead the others out.

"Kurt and I are going to check out the other shops and see if anyone else needs help, and get everyone evacuated. We'll meet up with you in a little while over in the park. Stay safe."

Nick hugged him, and turned to help a woman lift her stroller over some fallen debris. They watched their friends walk away, and then turned and entered the Boudin Bakery. No one was seriously injured, and they quickly and safely got everyone evacuated. One of the staff had already gathered all of their first aide equipment. Blaine told them that Nick had some first aide equipment as well, and suggested they set up a rudimentary first aide station in the park.

Their next stop was the Hard Rock Cafe. There were a few injuries here, though nothing life threatening. Kurt helped him and one of the waiters cobble together a stretcher for an elderly gentleman whose wheelchair was damaged. The man's daughter was a nurse, and was helping out a woman who had a mild head wound. They got everyone out quickly, and told them about the first aide station being set up in the park. Four waiters carried the old man, and lead the others to the park. A couple of people volunteered to help Blaine and Kurt check the rest of the shops.

They moved from shop to shop, helping those who were injured, evacuating those who could walk. Blaine couldn't help noticing how Kurt was so gentle with those who were injured, and how he managed to calm down several children who were terrified by what had happened by singing to them.

They'd been working to free a woman at the cookie store who had been trapped under several cooling racks when the first big after shock hit. There had been a few minor shocks, but they hadn't really felt them as they'd been too busy helping get everyone else out. This one was strong enough to knock Kurt off his feet. When it settled, Blaine went to the pale man to make sure he wasn't hurt.

"Are you okay?" He asked, brushing cookie crumbs off the taller man.

"I'm fine, let's get her out of here!" They finished freeing the woman, who wasn't seriously injured, but most likely had bruised ribs. One of the Hard Rock waiters helped support her and lead her off towards the park. Kurt started to head to the next shop down, but Blaine caught his arm.

"Maybe we should take a break. At least get some water. We've been at this for almost an hour."

"I'm fine. We can get some water at the next shop." Blaine had to admire the man's selflessness. He smiled and nodded.

"Okay, but let me know if you get tired or need a break. There are plenty of people out here now to help out."

…

Kurt smiled at the curly haired man. He had seen the way the man had thrown himself into the effort to help out, no matter how daunting the task. So far there hadn't been any serious injuries, although they had heard that there had been some big injuries and fatalities in other areas, including just up the road, where one car had ended up on the sidewalk and pinned someone to a wall. One of the tourist buses had tipped over on it's side as well, and they'd heard that some of those people had major injuries, and that there were probably fatalities there as well.

Kurt had texted his dad a short while ago to let him know that he was fine, just in case Burt heard about the earthquake on the radio or TV. His dad had texted him back, telling him he loved him and to stay safe.

He'd also texted the Monkeys who had gone out to Alcatraz to see if they were okay. Luis had texted back that they were all fine, but that they were temporarily stranded, as all the ferries were being used to evacuate people stuck on Treasure Island and around the bay area.

As they reached the magic shop, Kurt heard Jeff call out his name. He stopped and looked back at his friend, who was with the dark haired guy from the ice cream shop. "We were getting worried when you guys didn't come back right away. After that last aftershock, we decided to come check on you guys."

He hugged Kurt, even as the other guy hugged Blaine. Were they boyfriends? It would figure, someone as good looking as Blaine had to be involved with someone.

"We're fine," Blaine replied. "We helped free a couple of people who were trapped. How are things going over at the park?"

"They've set up a triage," Nick answered. "EMS is still tied up, but there were several doctors and nurses in the crowd, and when they heard we'd set up a first aide center, they came to help out. Ferries are taking the non injured across to Sausalito, Oakland and Richmond."

Jeff nodded. "We let the medical professionals take over, and came to see if you guys needed any help. The aquarium has already been evacuated, along with most of the shops on the east side of the pier. One guy told us there were a couple people trapped in the kitchen of the Chart House restaurant."

Kurt frowned. "Should we head over there to see if they need help, or check out the magic shop and other stores?"

Blaine thought for a moment. "Let's check out the other shops quickly, just to make sure everyone is out."

It took another hour to make sure all the shops were evacuated, and by then other volunteers had freed the staff that had been trapped in the walk in fridge at the Chart house. They were heading towards the park when another big aftershock struck.

Kurt lost his balance again, this time falling into Blaine, who didn't have a chance to brace himself. They both fell to the ground, Kurt automatically rolling to cushion the fall the way coach Sylvester had taught him all those years ago when he was on the Cheerios.

Blaine ended up landing on top of him, barely avoiding kneeing the taller man in the family jewels.

They stayed like that for several heartbeats, until the ground stopped shaking. When the world settled, Kurt smiled up at the darker man.

"Is that a cell phone in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" He teased, smirking.

Blaine laughed. "Sorry," he said sitting up slowly. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I'm good. No need to rush away on my account." What the heck, was he actually flirting with the other man? It must be the adrenaline, Kurt thought. As Blaine stood up and helped him to his feet, Kurt couldn't help himself. "So, you and that Nick guy, are you dating?"

Blaine laughed. "No, we're just friends, although his mom wishes we were dating. What about that Jeff guy? Are you two...?"

"I'm not dating anyone."

"Good," Blaine said, and the next moment their lips met in a hesitant kiss. Kurt sighed and returned the pressure, deepening it as one hand slid up and fisted in those beautiful curls. They broke apart after a moment, smiling shyly at each other, then twining hands as they continued walking towards the park.

"Took you guys long enough," Katie said, grinning as they found her in the crowd. "A few ambulances managed to make it through, and Sebastian is on his way to the hospital. You do realize that this means that you will be taking over Fiyero until he gets better, or they replace him?"

"Oh Gaga, I hadn't thought of that!" Kurt said on an exhale.

"Yeah, but you've had more important things on your mind for the last couple of hours," Kyle said. "People have been talking about you two, saying how you saved their lives and helped them out."

"I doubt anyone was really in danger," Blaine said, smiling as a volunteer brought them some bottled water.

"Yeah, other than Seb's broken leg, and the lady with the bruised ribs, I don't think anyone had any major injuries. I heard there were fatalities up the road though, and other areas of town."

They sat in silence for a moment, thinking about how fragile life could be. He looked over at Blaine, and smiled, squeezing his hand.


	2. We're Perfect Together

Not long after they got to the park, firefighters made it to the area to check for gas leaks, and they were given the all clear. Kurt and his friends remained at the park, helping out at the first aide station as more people from along the Wharf made their way down, or passing out bottled water that several of the local shops had donated.

The electricity was still out, so many of the restaurants in the area had large quantities of food that needed to be used up before it spoiled. There had been several food trucks and portable industrial size grills in the area, all fueled by propane, so the restaurateurs all brought out the meat and other items and cooked them, offering free food to everyone.

There were still aftershocks occurring, though they had greatly decreased in intensity over the last few hours. Through out the entire time, Blaine had remained by his side, even when Nick and his coworkers went to check their shop, and Jeff had gone with the the other man.

"I think Jeff likes your friend, Nick." Kurt said, smiling as he watched the two men walk away. "Is he dating anyone?"

Blaine shrugged. "He's been seeing a guy, but they aren't exclusive. Nick says he's not ready for a real relationship right now. He has nine months left till graduation, and he's been focusing on his studies."

"So, should I warn Jeff not to get his hopes up?"

Blaine grinned mischievously. "No, I think Jeff could be the perfect distraction for him. Personally, I don't know why Nick is still going out with Jack. The guy is so not his type. He's a banker, always wearing stuffy suits, has no sense of humor, and frankly doesn't appreciate Nick enough."

The two talked as they helped out where ever they could. Blaine talked about his parents kicking him out when they found out he was gay. He talked about his older brother, Cooper, who was a struggling actor in LA, who still supported him no matter what. He talked about Nick's family, and Nick's crazy mom who kept trying to set the two of them up.

Kurt told him about his dad and his stepmom. He talked about his stepbrother, Finn, who was killed by a drunk driver. He talked about his best friends, Rachel, who was starring in the revival of Funny Girl, and Mercedes, who was just about to go on her first tour to promote her debut album.

Nick and Jeff returned, wheeling huge vats of ice cream, and they helped serve it up for everyone in the crowd. As the sun began to set, the Monkeys that had been temporarily stranded on Alcatraz finally made it back to shore, and joined them. Kurt had called their director, Steve, earlier and let him know where they all were, and informed him of Sebastian's injury. Steve told him that most of the cast was in the city, all having decided to take advantage of the down day. The only one not in the area was Luisa, their Madame Morrible. They were trying to make their way to where Kurt and the others were, so they could take the ferry back across to Oakland, as the bridges were closed indefinitely.

Sebastian hadn't been the only injury among the cast. Lori, their Galinda, had a mild concussion and a sprained wrist. She would be out for at least three shows. Unfortunately, Cynthia, her understudy, had to be hospitalized, and probably would be out for the rest of the tour. Lissa, their Elphaba, would step in as Galinda until Lori recovered, and Katie would step in for Lissa. A few of the assemble had minor cuts, bruises, and scrapes, but would be able to go on. Of course, Kurt would be promoted to Fiyero for the foreseeable future, and Jeff would take over as Boq. Kyle would be promoted from Monkey number four to Chistery.

"That is assuming we can all make it back across the bay before curtain call," Lissa joked.

Blaine smiled at her. "I hope you guys can go on, I think these people are going to need a morale boost."

He gestured to the crowd. Kurt and the others glanced around, seeing all the traumatized faces, the scared kids crying in their parent's arms. Kurt suddenly had an idea. "Maybe we could give them a morale boost right now."

He dug his cell phone out of his pocket and called Steve back, telling him his idea and asking his advice. Steve said he'd have to call their producer, Rich, and get permission. He called back fifteen minutes later and gave Kurt the green light.

Half an hour later, illuminated by powerful battery powered flood lights as the last rays of the sun disappeared in the west, Blaine and several other street musicians began to play a familiar overture on their improvised instruments. They hadn't informed anyone in the crowd about what was about to happen, so when the music began, people were surprised, and gathered around.

One by one, the cast members slipped out of the crowd, and began to sing.

Good news! She's dead!  
The Witch of the West is dead!  
The wickedest witch there ever was  
The enemy of all of us here in Oz  
Is Dead!  
Good news!  
Good news!

From somewhere in the crowd, one of the actors called out, "Look! It's Glinda!"

Lissa spoke loudly from the other side of the gathering crowd. "Fellow Ozians!"

Let us be glad  
Let us be grateful  
Let us rejoicify that goodness could subdue  
The wicked workings of you-know-who  
Isn't it nice to know  
That good will conquer evil?  
The truth we all believe'll by and by  
Outlive a lie  
For you and -

Another voice rose out of the growing crowd.

No one mourns the Wicked

More cast members shouted from within the audience before joining their cast mates in the center.

No one cries "They won't return!"

No one lays a lily on their grave

The good man scorns the Wicked!

Through their lives, our children learn

What we miss, when we misbehave

They all danced around Lissa as she sang the next part.

And Goodness knows  
The Wicked's lives are lonely  
Goodness knows  
The Wicked die alone  
It just shows when you're Wicked  
You're left only  
On your own

Kurt and the rest of the cast joined in and sang the next part.

Yes, Goodness knows  
The Wicked's lives are lonely  
Goodness knows  
The Wicked cry alone  
Nothing grows for the Wicked  
They reap only  
What they've sown

Lissa began to speak the next part. By now nearly everyone in the park had gathered around. The children migrated towards the front of the crowd, or sat on their parent's shoulders, and watched, tears drying on their faces as they were drawn into the magic and music of the story. Many people were recording it with their cell phones, smiling as tension and fear slowly ebbed away. They clapped and cheered after each scene. Lori wasn't allowed to dance because of the concussion, but stepped into the role of Madame Morrible, and was given a cheer by the crowd when they noticed that she was injured.

Without costumes, props, or sets, the cast improvised, engaging the audience in a way they never had before. As he sang and danced, Kurt kept sending flirty looks and smiles towards Blaine, and noticed Jeff doing the same with Nick. Kurt was happy for his friend. Jeff hadn't dated anyone in the six months Kurt had known him, and apparently hadn't dated much before that, either. Despite his open and friendly nature, Jeff seemed wary about dating at all. Kurt had learned from a mutual friend, Trent, that Jeff had had a traumatic experience in high school with his first boyfriend. Trent hadn't gone into detail, but had hinted of abuse and possibly something more.

As they neared the end of Dancing Through Life, another aftershock struck, a little stronger than the last few. Some members of the crowd cried out, but Kurt and the others didn't let it phase them, and simply went on with the performance, which helped keep the younger kids calm.

…

Blaine watched as Kurt and the cast delivered what had to be the most interesting performance of Wicked ever. With minimum lighting, no props, no scenery, no costumes or make-up, and improvised music, they still managed to captivate the audience. And when another strong aftershock struck and the crowd began to panic, Kurt and the others didn't even seem to notice, just kept on as if the ground wasn't shaking beneath their feet. Their calm and professionalism helped keep the crowd from becoming chaotic.

Blaine was captivated by the glasz eyed man, who kept sending him flirtatious smiles and winks even as he interacted with the crowd. When Elphaba began singing Defying Gravity, Kurt sat down among the kids, singing along, and Blaine swore he heard the auburn haired angel hit a high F. The kids seemed to love him. One girl even curled up into his lap and hugged him. He hugged her back.

It was at that moment that Blaine realized he was falling in love with the beautiful man.

As the night went on, and he watched the glasz eyed man sing As Long as You're Mine, he wanted to be the one Kurt was singing to. As if reading his mind, the auburn haired angel glanced at him, and smiled.

When the performance was over, several people thanked the cast for what they had done, and offered them money, but the cast turned it down, telling them to give it to help people who were injured or who had lost their homes to structural damage or fire. Blaine thanked the other musicians who had joined them to entertain the crowd. By the time the crowd had dispersed to go back to their homes, hotels, or shelters, it was nearing midnight. The lines for the ferries were still so long, the chances of the cast making it back to their hotel before morning were slim.

Nick invited them all to stay at his parent's house.

"I don't know," Kurt said, looking at all of them. "Will they have room for all of us?"

Blaine laughed. "Trust me, there will be plenty of room."

Nick made a call, and half an hour later a tour bus pulled up. Nick beckoned them to join him, and they all climbed on. A short while later they pulled up in front of a sprawling mansion south of San Francisco.

"Nick's family owns several restaurants and hotels not only in the Bay area, but also all through California, Nevada, and Colorado. They also own a lot of real estate." Blaine said when Kurt looked at him questioningly.

"Come on," Nick said. "Mom had the guest house opened up for us when she heard what happened. You guys can get a good night's sleep, and she'll have breakfast for you in the morning. Dad's working on getting you guys a boat to get across the bay in the morning."

Mrs. Duvall greeted them with a smile as they entered the large guest house. "Welcome! There are six bedrooms on this floor, and six more upstairs, and there are a couple of rooms in the pool house, too. I'm sorry, you'll have to double up, but there should be enough room for everyone!"

Nick introduced everyone. She blinked when she noticed how close Jeff was standing to Nick, and how Kurt and Blaine were holding hands, but she didn't miss a beat, welcoming them both, and kissing each of them on the cheek. "I wish I could have seen your performance tonight, it was all over the news! Unfortunately I was busy overseeing the emergency shelters, making sure those misplaced people had a place to sleep tonight."

"Mom is on the board of directors for the California Red Cross," Nick explained.

"Come on," Blaine said, noting that Kurt was fighting to stifle a yawn. "We'll show you all to your rooms."

They lead them down the hall, with Nick taking half of them upstairs. Blaine never let go of Kurt's hand as the numbers dwindled until only the two of them were left.

"And where will I be sleeping tonight?" Kurt asked.

Blaine smiled. "Do you trust me?"

Kurt returned the smile, and replied without hesitation. "Yes."

The shorter man lead him out a side door and across a small garden with night blooming jasmine, to another, smaller building. "This is the pool house. This is where Nick and I stay when we visit. My room is just down the hall."

Kurt followed him down the hallway, and into a large bedroom that was unmistakably Blaine's. It was tidy, organized, and decorated in dark blues and reds. There was a piano in one corner, and several guitars lined up on stands, as well as a mandolin. Another corner contained a set of drums. There was a violin displayed on a shelf between the two corners, along with a harmonica, and several pieces of sheet music.

"Do you play all these instruments?" Kurt asked.

"I do. I started taking violin lessons when I was five, and then started teaching myself how to play the rest. I'm learning to play the saxophone now."

"Wow, I'm impressed. You're very talented. Have you considered trying to get a recording deal?"

Blaine just shrugged and moved to the walk in closet. "I prefer performing for smaller crowds. I've been considering opening a piano bar so I have a place to perform regularly, but for now I love watching the tourists on the pier as they enjoy my music."

He handed Kurt a pair of sweatpants and a t shirt. "Here. The pants will probably be too short, but they should fit otherwise. You can take a shower if you like. The bathroom is through there, towels and washcloths are in the cupboard beside the tub. There should be a new toothbrush in the drawer to the left of the sink. Toothpaste is in the medicine cabinet."

Kurt smiled and took the offered items. "Thanks. I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Take your time. I'll use the shower down the hall. Do you want anything to eat or drink before bed?"

The pale man shook his head and slipped into the bathroom.

…

Kurt closed the bathroom door behind him, setting the borrowed clothes on the back of the toilet, before looking at his reflection. His usually perfectly coiffed hair was disheveled, leaving him looking younger. The cut on his forehead was red and irritated looking, the bandage having fallen off sometime during the performance. It was also starting to bruise. He had bruises elsewhere on his body as well, most likely from his stumble in the cookie shop. He ached in several spots from the falls and being thrown into the display case at the ice cream shop during the initial quake.

He sighed, and began to undress, then climbed into the hot shower, sighing as the heat helped alleviate some of the soreness. He lingered a little longer than he had intended, losing track of time until a soft knock on the door made him aware that he was starting to prune just a little.

"Kurt?" Blaine called out. "Everything okay in there?"

"I'm fine. I'll be out in a couple minutes." He shut off the water and wrapped himself in a towel. Finding the toothbrush where Blaine said it would be, he unwrapped it and quickly brushed his teeth, and then began to dress. The pants were a little on the short side, but he didn't mind, it was a warm night. He ran a hand through his damp hair to straighten it out some, and then exited the bathroom.

Blaine was sitting at the piano, working on what appeared to be a piece of music. He took a moment to study the darker man. The dark curls were damp, weighted down by the moisture. A couple had fallen across his forehead as he leaned forward over the piano to write down what ever he was thinking.

He was gorgeous, Kurt thought, a slight flutter in his stomach as the other man looked up at him briefly, smiling, before looking back down at his work. He glanced around the room again, eyes skating over the bed, not wanting to think about that just yet. It's not that he was a prude. While he had never had a boyfriend in high school, he had dated a couple of guys in college, but it had been over a year since he'd had a real date. Oh, he and Trent had gone out a couple times, but just because they had both been bored and didn't want to go to the movies alone. His last real boyfriend had been Adam, and they had only dated for about five months before the other man decided to move back to England. They'd remained friends, but neither of them had the time to put into a long distance relationship.

That thought made him pause. He was only here in the bay area for a week, and then they were moving on to LA. Would he see Blaine again after tonight?

"Do you want the bed?"

The question caught him off guard. He hadn't noticed Blaine move away from the piano and walk across the room. "Excuse me?"

"Do you want to sleep on the bed? I can take the couch if you want."

Oh. He'd thought...Well, he didn't know what he thought, really. "You don't have to sleep on the couch."

They stood there, just looking at each other for a moment, and suddenly Kurt couldn't resist the urge to reach out and brush those two curls off the other man's forehead, running his fingers through the damp hair as he stepped closer.

The kiss started out as just lips brushing hesitantly together, but with each passing encounter, the fire built between them. Blaine's hand cupped his cheek as the last millimeter of space between them vanished, tongues dueling as need grew.


	3. As Long as You're Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurt must figure out where his heart truly lies!

Kurt woke with a smile on his face. Last night had been wonderful. Though they hadn't had sex, they had kissed and held each other until exhaustion had pulled them under and sleep claimed them. It had been more intimate than anything Kurt had ever experienced. True, his experience with sex was small. He wasn't a virgin, he and Adam had slept together when they were dating, and although it had been pleasant, Kurt felt there had been something...lacking.

Being held in Blaine's arms had made him feel cherished. The shorter man had gotten out of bed a short while ago, placing a kiss to Kurt's forehead and whispering to him to sleep a little longer. He returned now as Kurt rolled over in bed, a breakfast tray in his hands.

Kurt knew his grin was growing as the scent of coffee, sausage, and something sweet reached his nose.

"You made breakfast?" He asked as he sat up.

Blaine laughed. "Nick's mom sent it over." He set the tray on the nightstand. Along with the sausages, there were scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa, mixed fruit and cinnamon rolls. "Your friend Jeff said to tell you not to rush, tonight's performance has been canceled because there was some damage to the theater, and they have to wait until an inspector declares it safe."

Kurt nodded and took a sip of his coffee. "I should call our director in a little while and check in anyway. I know how the cast fared, but I should ask about the orchestra and backstage crew, as well. I forgot about them last night. And I need to call my dad again."

Blaine settled on the bed beside him, and moved the tray to Kurt's lap. "I hope this is okay. If not I can get you something else."

Kurt smiled again. "This is fine. Aren't you going to eat?"

The darker man shrugged. "I already ate. So what are you going to do with your extra time off?"

It was Kurt's turn to shrug. "I don't know, I have to see what Steve has to say first. What are you going to do today?"

Blaine smiled. "I usually perform on the pier everyday during the summer, but I doubt there will be many tourists today. Nick has to go down to help clean up the Creamery, and I was going to go help out some of my other friends, too."

Kurt took another sip of his coffee and a bite of eggs. Once he swallowed, he spoke. "Maybe if Steve doesn't have plans for us today, I could hang out on the pier and help out. Maybe I'll actually get to see some of the attractions I had wanted to see yesterday."

The curly haired man grinned. "I could show you around."

Kurt finished eating, and made his phone calls. His dad had been proud of him for helping out so many people. He'd also seen some of their impromptu performance on the news, and had made a comment about how Kurt had seemed to be flirting with a certain curly haired man.

As for his other call, well, it was mostly good news. The backstage crew were all fine, but a few members of the orchestra were injured, one of them seriously. Steve wanted them back at the hotel by five to talk about the next few shows.

They met up with Jeff, Nick, and the rest of the cast in the guest house and talked about their options. Most of the cast decided to head back to Oakland and rest, but Kurt, Jeff and Katie chose to go back to the Wharf with Blaine and Nick. Nick's dad had arranged a private yacht to take those members that wished to return to Oakland across the bay, while his mom gave him the keys to one of the SUVs parked in the massive garage.

They talked about the show and various other topics during the drive, which was surprisingly mostly traffic free until they were almost to their destination. Most of the roads had been cleared of wrecked vehicles and fallen debris, but the Wharf still had some rough areas where they were still sorting out the mess. The five new friends jumped into the clean up effort. Kurt wound up helping Nick out at the Creamery for a brief period of time, sweeping up broken glass and trying to save whatever nonperishable goods they could, while the others helped out some of Blaine and Nick's other friends.

"So, how long have you known Jeff?"

Kurt smiled to himself. "Only about six months, but we have several common friends. My coworker at the dinner I used to work at, Trent, has been his best friend since high school. He's a great guy, everyone seems to like him."

Nick nodded. "He does seem like a really nice guy. What else do you know about him?"

Kurt stopped what he was doing and looked at the shorter man. "He's very smart, speaks six languages, including Mandarin Chinese and Gaelic. He's the youngest of five children, the only boy, and is adored by all of his siblings. He hasn't really dated anyone since high school, but you'll have to let him tell you why, that's not my story to tell. I think the two of you could be happy together, but I'll tell you right now, if you hurt him, there will be a line a mile long of people ready to kick your ass, and I'd be one of them."

Nick smiled at him. "Duly noted."

Kurt smiled at him and resumed sweeping. "I know Blaine's parents kicked him out when he was sixteen after he came out. Why did your parents take him in?"

Nick shrugged. "Blaine has always been like an older brother to me, ever since we met. He stood up for me against the bullies, supported me when I wrote my first play in junior high school, stood beside me when I came out to my parents, who were totally cool with it. My mom always admired him for the way he helped me overcome my shyness. She was literally outraged at his parents for throwing him out. She went to their house and berated them for an hour as she packed up the rest of his things that they hadn't allowed him to take with him, called them pathetic losers who didn't deserve to have such an amazing son, and since they didn't want him, she would be his mom from now on."

Nick grinned. "I was actually a little jealous, she seemed to like him more than me!"

They both laughed. "Of course, she immediately started scheming to get the two of us together. I think she was even secretly planning our wedding, so that she could actually claim him as a son without actually adopting him."

Kurt smiled. "But you two never saw each other as anything more than friends?"

The other man shook his head. "Best friends, brothers, but nothing more. I mean yeah, he's good looking, but he's just not my type."

"Oh?" Kurt said, a teasing glint in his eye. "So what IS your type?"

Nick blushed. "Tall, blonde, and intelligent."

They smiled at each other, and finished working in a companionable silence, until Blaine, Jeff, and Katie came by to take them to lunch.

"Most of the restaurants are still closed until they finish cleaning up," Blaine said, "but they are serving sandwiches down by Ghirardelli Square."

They walked down Jefferson towards the Square. As predicted there were very few tourists in the area at the moment, so most of the people they passed were people who worked along the stretch of shops and restaurants, or were among those Blaine had called the street people, the ones who busked and entertained the tourists daily for a living. Blaine and Nick seemed to know most of them. Blaine introduced them to many of his friends.

...

Just before they reached the Square, Blaine paused. "Do you mind if we take a quick detour? My apartment is just around the corner. I want to stop and see if there is any damage."

"You live near here?" Kurt asked.

"We both do, actually," Nick replied. "I live in the apartment below Blaine's."

They turned and walked up a block, and the two men lead them into an older building. From the outside, they could see a few broken windows, but there didn't seem to be any structural damage to the building. They went to Nick's apartment first. The window was broken, a couple of lamps had been knocked over, and the refrigerator was open and half the contents spilled on the floor, but other wise everything seemed fine.

When they entered Blaine's apartment, they found it in a similar state, but the small grand piano that was set up in the corner had tipped on it's side, one leg broken. The shorter man swore when he saw it.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Nick said, comforting the other man. "It can be fixed."

Blaine sighed. "I know, but it was my grandmother's. It's the only thing I have left of any of my grandparents'."

Kurt hugged him. "It could have been a lot worse."

Blaine smiled sadly and hugged him back.

Blaine decided to change his clothes quickly before they left, and offered Kurt an outfit as well. The pale man chose a shirt and vest, but kept on the skinny jeans he'd worn the day before. They headed back out to the Square and got lunch, and sat at a nearby picnic table to eat.

Katie asked the four boys more about themselves as they enjoyed the peaceful break. It turned out that Kurt and Nick both belonged to the same internet fashion blog chat group, and had actually chatted directly together about an episode of America's Next Top Model once.

After they finished eating, they headed back towards Pier 39, but Kurt paused outside the wax museum. "I had been looking forward to visiting this place yesterday," He said, wistfully.

"Do you want to check it out now?" Blaine asked.

Kurt glanced at his watch. It was just past one. "Do you think there is enough time? We need to get back to the hotel by five."

"There should be. The lines for the ferries are a lot shorter today, so it shouldn't be an issue getting across the Bay. Come on!"

The person selling admissions was apparently another friend of Blaine's, and let them in for half price. They wandered through the wax figures, laughing and joking around. Kurt insisted that Jeff take a picture of him with the Lady Gaga figure, and revealed that he had performed both Bad Romance and Born This Way in his high school glee club, and was shocked to learn that Blaine had done Applause in his school's a Capella group.

As they made their way out, Kurt was shocked to find a figure of a woman who looked very familiar. "I never realized Coach Sylvester looked so much like Jane Lynch!"

Blaine looked at him curiously. "Coach Sylvester?"

"My Cheer leading Coach."

"You were a Cheer leader?" Nick asked.

Kurt shrugged. "Only for a few weeks. We won the national championship, but then I dropped out. I was on the football team, too, but not at the same time. I was the kicker."

Blaine stared at him in awe. "Is there anything you can't do?"

The taller man seemed to think about it for a moment. "I can't toss pizza dough, or say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious backwards." They all laughed.

They made it to the ferry dock in time to catch the next boat across the Bay. Nick and Blaine joined them, not ready to day goodbye yet. Once they got off the ferry, it was a three block walk to their hotel.

They still had an hour before they had to meet with the rest of the cast, so decided to have an early supper in the Hotel restaurant. They had just placed their order when Rich, their producer arrived.

"Kurt! Jeff! Hello, Katie! Good to see you all fared well from the Earthquake. Unfortunately not everyone has been so lucky, and I have the unfortunate task of replacing a few people. Kurt, you'll be taking over Fiyero for the foreseeable future, and Jeff will take over as Boq. Now I just need to find another flying Monkey and a piano player!"

Kurt glanced at Blaine. "I know someone who plays piano!"

The older man looked at the curly haired musician. "You play?"

Blaine smiled. "Yeah, I play several instruments. And I know the score."

Rich took his hand. "Please tell me you are free for the next two months?"

The hazel eyed man glanced at Kurt and smiled. "I am."

"Wonderful! Now I just need a monkey!"

Nick cleared his throat. "I can help you out, but only for a couple weeks until you find a replacement. I played Chistery in high school."

Rich was ecstatic, and rushed off to talk to Steve, saying he'd send someone down with the paperwork, and that dinner was on him.

...

Kurt was so happy he could burst. He had enjoyed spending the day getting to know Blaine and his friend better, and had not been looking forward to saying goodbye to him, and now they'd have two full months to explore whatever was developing between them.

He didn't want to put a label on it, but he knew that what he felt for the shorter man was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. In just twenty four hours he'd learned so much about the other man that just made him seem more and more like what Kurt had been searching for since he'd realized he liked boys back in junior high school. He already had a deeper connection to him than he'd had in his five month relationship with Adam. He could very easily see himself spending the rest of his life with the man. But did Blaine feel the same?

…

Two months later

Kurt took his final bow as Fiyero, closing out the tour in Chicago. Burt and Carole had made the trip up to see him, and he blew them a kiss before stepping forward to acknowledge the orchestra pit, where Blaine sat at the piano, smiling at him adoringly.

As the final curtain fell, he turned and hugged Jeff. The blonde man would be leaving immediately to fly back to San Francisco. He and Nick had stayed in touch, Skyping nightly after every performance, and texting each other as Jeff sat through Make up. Nick had invited Jeff to stay with him for a while, and Kurt was certain the move would be permanent.

Kurt made his way to his dressing room and quickly changed out of his costume and cleaned off his make up. He was going to introduce Blaine to his dad and stepmother, and the four of them were going to go out for a late dinner.

As he was gathering up his belongings, there was a soft knock on the door, and Blaine entered, carrying a large bouquet of red and yellow roses.

Kurt smiled as took the bundle of flowers, bringing them to his nose. "They're beautiful!"

"Not as beautiful as you," The shorter man replied.

Kurt blushed. "Ready to met the parents?"

Blaine smiled. "Is any ever ready to meet the parents?"

Kurt laughed. "It'll be fine. It's not like I'm some teenager bringing home my first boyfriend. He's not going to threaten you with his shotgun, or his flamethrower."

"That's just so comforting," the honey eyed man deadpanned. "But just in case..."

He leaned in and kissed Kurt, one hand cupping his jaw. Kurt sighed and moved closer, deepening the kiss as he slid his hand into the curls at the back of the shorter man's neck.

"I love you, Kurt Hummel," he whispered, lips still only a hairsbreadth apart.

Kurt smiled. "I love you, too, and I am never saying goodbye to you."


End file.
